Job responsibilities
The main responsibility of the Patient Adviser Team is to help guide Patients to access services here at this Practice, in a way that supports the best use of available resources. This involves asking for minimal, but sufficient, details to enable enquiries to be directed or triaged appropriately, making, moving and cancelling appointments, home visits and telephone consultations, as well as supporting Patients with queries on tests, prescriptions etc. The Patient Adviser will also play an important role in informing Patients about the range of self-care support that is available in the community/on-line and how they can access them directly.
To thrive in this role, you will enjoy lots of Patient contact, working to protocols to ensure best care. You will need to develop a broad understanding of General Practice, medical terminology and related services and processes (with on-the-job and additional training support).
Key Tasks & Responsibilities
· Greet Patients/Temporary Residents, establish what they need, and direct them in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective way - demonstrate a broad understanding of how General Practice connects to Secondary Care, social and voluntary sector services.
· Project a positive and helpful image to Patients and other visitors, either in person or via the telephone.
· Be mindful of Patient information confidentiality and privacy.
· Provide the initial information on services to Patients and refer on for more in-depth advice as appropriate.
· Use ‘tasks’ and the ‘Instant Message’ system to forward work or alert colleagues to urgent items.
· Be mindful of any health and safety hazards that might impact Patients and visitors in the foyer or waiting room area and take action or report this as appropriate.
· Identify when there is a need for urgent action, or for a step-up in care and alert the relevant professional(s).
· Use your training and judgment to ensure that Patients who need urgent support, or you suspect may be vulnerable, are supported quickly by a clinician.
· Confirm telephone numbers, home addresses and some basic ‘QOF’ information with Patients.
· Provide an effective handover to colleagues.
· Work as a team to ensure team tasks and are completed in a timely way.
· Provide general day to day support to our clinicians and Practice management.
· Actively participate in Practice Training which may mean you need to attend a training session outside of your normal working hours.
Front Desk
· Follow the Practice’s ‘opening’ protocols to ensure everything is set-up, you understand the priorities for the shift and which clinicians are in.
· Note which doctors and nurses are working in the building and whether they have arrived for their clinics.
· Be aware of your surroundings and of the Patients in the waiting room or the lift being used.
· Make sure the waiting room is kept clean and tidy.
· Monitor to see if clinics are running late and advise Patients as they check-in. If they have been waiting more than 20 minutes ask the Patient if they are ok to wait or would prefer to rebook their appointment.
· Accept, redirect or issue deliveries and post to and from the Practice.
· Sort/organise correspondence and prescriptions to be collected by Patients so it is easy to retrieve when they come in to collect it.
· For private (non-General Medical Services) services, advise Patients of the associated charge, accept payment and issue receipts.
· Assist Patients in the side-room, who requires privacy, this will necessitate having a DBS check.
· Assist Patients on the registration process, ensuring the forms have been completed fully.
· Assist temporary residents on how they access support from the Practice.
· Keep your working environment confidential, clean, tidy and free from clutter at all times.
· Assist Patients on repeat prescription requests and ensure that they understand the processing timeframes and encourage them to request this in a timely way.
· Follow the Practice’s ‘closing’ protocols to ensure everything is locked away, tidied ready for the next day, and any outstanding items can be picked up by the morning shift.
Practice Telephone Switchboard
· Ensure everything is set-up, and you understand the priorities for the shift and which clinicians are in.
· Follow the Practice’s ‘telephone’ protocols being the first point of contact for Patients.
· Carefully manage the flow of Patient enquiries and appointment bookings so that we can balance the needs of Patients with the availability of GPs, Locums, Advanced Nurse Practitioners and Practice Nurses/Health Care Assistants.
Administration & Support Services
· Help to keep accurate and up-to-date Patient records, verifying Patient contact details and residence.
· Record Patient information in accordance with protocols.
· Provide general assistance to the Practice team.
· Contribute to the continuous improvement of Patient Adviser services and identify opportunities and gaps in services.
· Ensure that paperwork is distributed/dealt with correctly.
· Undertake any other additional duties appropriate to the post as requested by the Partners or the Practice Business Manager.
